


Return to Summer.

by Herrin26



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: BAMF Mike, Background Demogorgon (Stranger Things), Eleven | Jane Hopper Loves Mike Wheeler, Eleven | Jane Hopper and Mike Wheeler in Love, Eventual Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper, F/M, Good Parent Joyce Byers, Mike Wheeler Loves Eleven | Jane Hopper, Mike has powers., Protective Eleven | Jane Hopper, Protective Mike Wheeler, Protective Parent Jim "Chief" Hopper, Shadow Monster | Mind Flayer Possessing Billy Hargrove, Time Travel, Will Byers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-15 13:34:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29065140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Herrin26/pseuds/Herrin26
Summary: Mike watched as the girl he loved left in the moving truck.Everything had changed. Why? She didn't deserve this.He loved her and she loved him they belong together.His head began to hurt and suddenly everything went black.
Relationships: Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler, Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler, Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair, Steve Harrington & Dustin Henderson
Comments: 12
Kudos: 48





	1. The Dream?

**Author's Note:**

> Mike finds himself at the start of summer before everything went to hell. 
> 
> Can he change the past and make a better future for the girl he loves.

Mike watched as the girl he loved left in the moving truck.

Everything had changed. Why? She didn't deserve this.   
He loved her and she loved him. They belong together.

It wasn't fair. Hopper, Billie, her powers, everything was shit!

The more he thought the more pissed he got.

His head began to hurt and suddenly everything started to spin as it all went black.

* * *

"Mike! Mike!" 

Mike slowly opened his eyes. _What the hell? What just happened?_

"Mike are you okay?" 

_What? El?_

"What are you doing here?" He found himself asking. He had just watch her leave.

El looked at him in confusion.

"I live here." 

Mike looked around and saw he was in the cabin. No damage anywhere.

_am I dreaming?_

"Mike?" 

Mike looked back at her. She was here. Wearing Hoppers hand me downs her beautiful face scrunched in confusion. 

"El? What's going on?" 

"We were kissing and you fell." She looked concerned. "Mike's you're bleeding!"

Mike put his hand to his nose and found blood coming out. Just like El.

"What the fuck..." _This can't be real._

"Mike what's wrong?" 

"I...El...I...." 

He didn't finish he grabbed her and pulled her into the tightest hug he had ever given. 

El was worried. First Mike fell, then the blood, now he was squeezing her really tight. She always like when Mike hugged or kissed her but he was acting really strange.

"Mike you're scaring me."

He pulled back and held on to her shoulders.

_How is this possible? Was it all some horrible dream?_

Mike was about to say something when the door opened fully.

Hopper walked in holding a piece of paper.

"Hop!" Mike's shot up.

He had never been so happy to see this man.

Hopper was thrown off by the boys reaction. _What the hell is wrong with Wheeler? Is he high?_

"We need to talk." Hopper took a seat and held his note.

"What about? Mike has a nose bleed can it wait?"

El wasn't lying about the blood. She hoped Hopper would give them a few minutes to try to make since of Mikes weirdness.

_Maybe it was a dream? I wonder....maybe if I do like last time it will be the same. Might was well try it._

"Its okay El.. I'm good. Besides I think we're in trouble." Mike smirked at El.

She gave him a look. He was really acting weird. But gave a smile back. Hopper was very easy to make red when they were caught.

Hopper did not look amused at all. _To hell with this. Time to put this punk in his place._

"Well your mom called."

Mike froze at that. _If he says Nana..._

"It's your grandma."

_Fuck...it wasn’t a dream..._

"Nana? No. This can't be happening." Mike got off the bed and began pacing.

_Wow kid really loves his grandma. Feel a little bad about using her now._

"Come on let's get you home." Hopper got up. 

"I'm not going anywhere!" Mike looked at El. "El something happened and....I don't know how to say this...but. I'm not okay this...."

"Mike?" El got off the bed and grabbed his head holding him still. "Mike you're not making sense."

"El....I...know...l dreamed or...saw..I know what's going to happen."

El looked at him even more confused.

Mike started to form a better explanation when his head began hurting again. 

"Aw!!!" 

Mike felt more blood coming out his nose and darkness replaced Els face.

Hopper grabbed him as he fell.

"Mike!!!" El yelled.

"El move." Hopper picked Mike up and laid him on the bed. "What the hells going on?"

"I don't know!" El grabbed Mike and shook him. "Mike! Mike wake up!"

Hopper pulled her back. "El don't move him." He put his hand to Mikes head. "No fever. What were you two doing?"

"Kissing." 

Hopper rolled his eyes at that. But looked back at Mike. He had blood coming from his nose but he wasn't cold or hot.

Then Mike started to shake.

Hopper held him down as El looked on him terror.

 _It's like Will and the Mind Frayer...._

Hopper was making the same realization.

_What's happening to this kid?_

* * *

Mike woke up to darkness everywhere. An endless void of darkness. The floor was wet and he was laying down.

"El?" He spoke.

Mike forced himself up and found himself alone. 

"El?! Eleven!?" 

He looked around frantically for her. For anyone.

"Hello Mike."

_That was not Elevens voice..._


	2. The Void.

His first instinct was to run but he had no where to run to. He didn’t even know where he was.

So Mike swallowed and slowly turned around.

What he wasn't expecting was a girl around twelve to be standing in front of him. A girl looking a little like a younger version of El just with darker hair and the nose was different.

"Who are you?" 

"I'm who brought you here." She answered. 

"Okay...That's not saying much...who are you?"

"My name is Terry. I need you to listen. I don't have a lot of time to explain." 

Terry took step towards him and Mike stepped back fast.

"Look I don't want to hurt you but this is hard to do. So listen."

Mike then saw she had blood coming down her nose. 

"You're one of the lab kids?"

"No." She wiped the blood away. "I used my gift to bring you to this time to stop what's going to happen." 

"What? You can control time?! That's crazy. You did this? Why?" 

"Listen!" Terry grabbed her head in pain. The strain of the link was wearing her down fast.

"Are you okay?" Mike found himself moving towards her. 

"Everything that happens must be stopped Mike. You are the only one who can save her." Terry struggled to speak.

Mike went pale at those words. There was only one girl he was terrified of losing.

"El? What happens? She was okay in the future or whenever." 

This whole thing was insane. Time travel. El in danger. Weird girl that was strange but familiar somehow.

"Mike...I will try to tell you more...when I can.." She had a lot of blood coming from her now. "I'm sorry but this will hurt." 

Terry moved and grabbed Mikes head. 

He tried to pull her off but his brain was on fire. 

They both screamed in pain.

* * *

"Aw!!!"

El had no idea what was happening. Mike stopped shaking then suddenly started screaming and thrashing. 

Hopper was trying to hold him down to stop him from hurting himself. Suddenly He was thrown back by an unseen force. 

El was hit too falling to the floor. 

The door slammed shut and everything started moving. 

Hopper looked at El. 

_She didn't do that._

El got up and used her own powers to hold Mike down. 

Then everything stopped and Mike laid still.

El moved straight to him. "Mike! Mike please wake up!"

Hopper got up trying to make since of what just happened.

"El. You... did you do that?" 

"No! Why won't he wake up?!" She cried.

She held his face and he started to groan.

Mikes eyes opened slowly to adjust. "El?" 

"Mike!" She pulled him up and hugged him with everything she had.

"What happened?" His head felt like it had been hit with a hammer.

"You fell again. Then you were screaming. Mike what's happening?"

"I...saw...a girl. She did something." Mike tried to sit up but his head began spinning.

"Take it easy Wheeler." Hopper came over and helped him sit up straight. "Alright. I need someone to explain. Now."

Mike looked around the room and saw things thrown all over the place. 

He rubbed his hand over his face and found blood all over it coming from his nose. 

El grabbed a towel and wiped him off. Then took his hands.

"Mike? Are you okay?"

Mike looked at her. She was so scared he could tell. 

"I don't understand any of this but I think I came from the future." 

"Great... you're insane." Hopper said. 

"No listen!"

Mike then went into his story. The mall, Russians, the Mind Flayer.

"Look kid obviously you hit you head or something. This is complete bullshit." Hopper dismissed.

"It's not!" Mike looked at El. "You believe me right?"

El looked at him. She knew he would never lie to her but this was really weird.

"I know you won't lie. So yes. It's weird."

"Come on El. Sure there's been some weird shit around here. But time travel?"

"I know what your were going to do next." Mike argued.

"What arrest you for obviously being on drugs?" Hopper glared. "You don't know anything. Just having a bad dream or something."

"Really? So you weren't making up a story about Nana to get me in your truck and threaten me to stay away from El!" Mike yelled.

Hopper looked shocked at that. The kid knew what he was planning?

"What?!" El looked at Hopper in anger. _How could he?_

"He lied about Nana and wanted me to not see you or he was going to keep you away from me forever."

"Shut up Wheeler." Hopper yelled.

"How could you?!" El got up in Hoppers face.

"You two are driving me crazy okay! This is too much. Wheeler get in the trunk now! I'm taking you home."

 _"_ I'm not going anywhere!" Mike yelled.

Then the room shook as a magazine next to him flew at the wall.

Both Hopper and El turned to Mike with the same shocked expression.

He had more blood coming down his nose and was looking at his hands in fear.

_I did that? What did that girl do?_

He looked up at El. "What's happening to me?"

El did the only thing she could. She wrapped him in a hug.

Mike buried into her shoulder. "El...I'm scared."

"Me too." She held him tight not knowing what else to say. She was terrified and didn't understand any of this.

Hopper watched them and what just happened. "Ok this is crazy...now explain everything kid. Leave nothing out."

 _Could I really be considering believing_ _Wheeler? Time travel.....I'm gonna need beer..a lot of it._

* * *

Dark cloud poured down the into the new host.

**This world is ours now.**

Billie twitched and struggled as his mind faded.

Then a pull came to the Flayer. Something had happened. Something new. The same as when the girl found them.

But different. Weak yet strong....tied to the girl.


	3. The Gift

"So you woke up here and then some strange girl pulled you into a dark place and now you have powers?"

The doubt in Hoppers voice was clear to Mike.

"Look I know how this sounds. But I saw everything. How did I know you were lying about Nana? That you wanted us spend time apart?" Mike then remembered the note. "Your note. It ends with keep the door open 3 inches for your old man." 

Hopper just stared at Mike and at the note. "That's....how?"

"El told me. Well the El from three months from now." Mike held Els hand tight as he looked at her.

"Three months? What happened?" She asked 

This was the hard part. He hadn’t told them about what happens to Hopper. 

_It's not going to happen. I'm going to stop it. El need him. And well he was a jerk a lot last time but so was I._

_"_ The Flayer is here. He's back. He's making an army out of the people. There was a huge battle at the mall...and Hop you didn't survive." 

El looked at Mike in horror. Sure she was still mad at Hopper but to lose him.

"He didn't..." El couldn't finish the sentence.

Mike squeezed her hand. "The machine that was being used to open the gate. He stopped it and....I'm sorry El." 

Hopper sat there in silence try to process this. He died? Part of him wanted to throw the boy out for the tears starting on Els face but Mike had the same sadness. 

_No way the kids making this up. He would never do that to her._

"Joyce took you in and moved out of town. I was watching you leave when my head started hurting. I blacked out and when I woke up I was here." 

"I left...you?" El hated the very thought of that.

"Okay let's say I believe this." Hopper interjected. "Why? What would this girl gain by sending you here?" 

"I don't know. She said something about stopping it. Something big. She said she would explain more later. Then she grabbed my head and I started screaming it hurt so much." 

Mike was still feeling light headed. Luckily his nose had finally stopped bleeding.

"Mike. Was she from the lab?" El asked.

"She said no. She had short sleeves and I didn't see any number." He remembered something. "Her name was Terry."

"Mama?" 

"No she was a kid. But something didn't seem right with her. She seemed strange but familiar too. It's hard to explain."

"The dark place. I know it." El said. "It's where I go when I'm looking."

"Well it's scary as hell." Mike noted.

"Was at first. Now it's not."

"If I can go there and move things? What did she do to me? Make me like you?"

"Was born this way. Don't know how she did it." El then lite up. "I can teach you."

The got her really excited. Mike always taught her things. Now she can be the teacher and help him.

"So you'll be my Yoda? Cool." He smiled at her.

"Cool." She smiled back.

"Hold on. Let's not go training anything right now. We don't know anything about this girl or what she did to you. We need to be careful." 

Mike laid his head back on the couch. He was exhausted and felt drained.

_Is the how she feels when she uses hers? I'm beat._

Hopper noticed his tired look.

"Well I think you should get home and get some sleep. We can discuss this tomorrow after we've all processed this." 

"Mike stays."

"El. He can't stay.."

"He stays." 

Hopper and El locked eyes neither blinking. Until finally Hopper gave.

"Fine."

"Really?" El didn't believe he would give.

"Don't make me regret it. After all this...well I guess I can let up a little." He looked at Mike. "Don't think your mom's going to be okay with you staying here. To many questions about a boy stay at his girlfriends house."

"I'll call Will and ask him to cover." Mike suggested. "You can tell her I stopped there and stayed the night. Joyce will cover."

"Okay. You get the couch. If you even think about going near that door. I will shoot first ask questions later." Hopper threatened.

Mike and El rolled their eyes at him.

* * *

" _ **Will come in? Will are you there? Over.**_

Will sat up at the sound. He was just about to sleep and that's when it goes off. After that feeling at the movies he had been trying to shake of the fear of the Frayer being still out there.

_It's gone. She closed the gate._

"Mike? What are you doing up? Over."

**_"Will I need a favor. If my mom calls can your mom say I staying there? Just for the night. I promise I'll explain later. Over."_ **

**_"_** Where are you really? Are you still at Hoppers?" 

Hopper would never let Mike stay the night. 

**_"Will I'll explain tomorrow. Get everyone and meet at the cabin at noon. Please Will trust me on this. Over."_ **

"Fine. But you owe me a D&D game. Over."

**_"Deal. Over and out."_ **

"What's gotten into him?" 

Will was happy Mike wasn't depressed anymore thanks to El. But his friend was putting her ahead of everyone else. He kinda got it but he wanted what they all had in the past.

He walked out of his room and down to his mom's but she wasn’t there. He could hear the TV on.

Peeking around he saw his mom watching one of Bob's videos.

_I'm sorry mom. Bob..._

He sighed and decided to walk in the kitchen and act like he missed her.

Joyce heard him and immediately turned off the television. She wiped her eyes and went over to him.

"Will honey what are you doing up?"

"Getting a glass of water...mom..I...about Bob."

"Will it's okay. That wasn't your fault."

_Yes it was. I should have fought harder._

"I know....look if Mrs. Wheeler calls can you tell her Mike is here for the night? I think Hopper is letting him sleep there for some reason."

_What? Hopper is doing what? That's unexpected. Maybe their little talk went over better than I thought._

"That's unusual for Jim but okay."

"I know right. Mike said he would explain tomorrow. He's acting a little weird. Well wierder than normal."

"You'll get there one day." She smirked.

_Not._

"Okay. Good night mom."

Will went back to his room. Rubbing his eyes he laid back in bed. Trying to shake this feeling that something was wrong or worse something was back.

* * *

Mike laid in back on the couch. Trying to make scene of all this. He was tired but his mind wouldn't stop and let him sleep.

_Who was that girl? What did she mean? Save El. Save her from what? How did she give me this?_

He look at a pencil laying on the table.

_Why not?_

Mike sat up and focused on it. Nothing happened.

"Okay..." he focused harder.

Still nothing.

"Well fuck me....." 

_How does she do this? Wait..she told me about Chicago and her sister.._

Mike looked back at the pencil and thought about things that angered him. He remember Brenner face and what he did to her.

The pencil rolled to him.

"Fuck...." Mike exhaled and felt the blood and his headache got worse. "OK not the best idea Mike." 

_Great now you're talking to yourself._

Mike sat back and looked at her door.

_I hope she gets some sleep._

Almost on cue the door opened and she was there.

El smiled at him and brought a blanket out. 

"What are you doing?" 

"Can't sleep."

Mike smiled at her as she moved on to the floor beside him.

He slipped off the couch and laid back against it as she sat next to him. On instinct he wrapped an arm around her and she nuzzled into it.

"Before you came out..I was trying to move things..."

"Hopper said not to." 

"I couldn't help it." He reasoned. "I made a pencil roll."

El looked at the pencil and it floated to her. She spun it around and laid it back on the table.

"Show off." Mike was smiling even as he said it.

El smiled back. "I'll help you. We can try tomorrow. You need sleep first."

Mike sighed and laid his head back on the seat. "I don't want to close my eyes. I'm worried this is all a dream and I'll wake up and you’ll be gone." He confessed.

"Mike not a dream. I'm here. You're here. Promise." She cuddled tighter against him.

_Please. Please don't let it be a dream._

"Mike? In the future. What's it like?" 

"The same as now. Except the mall is destroyed and we'll the other things. But that's not going to happen. You're not going to lose Hopper. You'll stay in Hawkins and we won't be a part." He promised to her and himself.

He didn't want to go through the crap that was the breakup again. Everything that happened was bullshit. Hopper terrifying him, Max and her 'advice', his own jealousy. It was such a storm of shit and he was hit at all angles with it. 

_I was wrong to lie but Max was wrong in everything she put in Els head. Well about me. She did like being friends with Max and I want her to have that again. To be normal. But I'm not gonna let Max treat me like shit this time._

"What are you thinking about?" El asked.

"You."

He blushed at the same time she did.

"Last time I lied like Hopper wanted me to. You saw right through it. Then went to Max for advice."

"Why Max?" 

"I think because she's dating Lucas so you wanted to hear what she would do."

"What did she do?"

"She....well it's hard for me to say. I was wrong I know that and I felt awful about it. She told you to dump me and took you to the mall. We ran into each other there. I was looking for a gift to say I'm sorry and you got mad for lying and I kept lying like an idiot. You dumped me and was pissed for a while."

El didn't like this at all. 

_Dump Mike? Why? He was forced to by Hop. Hop forced me to not answer when he used his supercom so how is that different?_

"I don't like that. You didn't want to lie. I sound like a mouthbreather."

"I hurt you El. I broke the rule and you had a right to be angry."

"Hopper made you. He made me not answer."

"I still chose to lie El. I'm sorry for that. I promise you I won't make that mistake again. I will never lie to you El. You mean everything to me."

El sat up and looked at him. "You mean everything to me too."

Then kissed him. Mike kissed her back eagerly. 

The clearing of a very angry throat stopped them.

Hopper was leaning against the doorframe gun in hand.

"He didn't go near the door." El said innocently.

Mike burst out laughing and El followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have to go back and refresh season 3 before the next chapter.


	4. The Master

When Mike woke up after finally passing out he found himself both relieved and worried. 

He was on the couch which meant everything was real. He had traveled back in time.

But this didn't make it anymore believable. 

"Morning kid." Hopper said as he leaned against the kitchen counter coffee in hand.

Mike sat up and rubbed his temple.

"How's the head?"

"Better. Is El up yet?"

"She still out for now. Who knows when she actually fell asleep."

Make looked at Hopper thinking of the last time they talked before he came back.

"Hop...I'm sorry." He said. "I've been a jerk to you."

Hopper sighed. "Well Wheeler I've not exactly been all candy and sunshine....Just you two..it's...I'm not use to this."

"Me either....I wanted to spend every second with her. At first it was because I was afraid. Afraid I'd lose her again. Then it just...she really does mean everything to me. But I think I get why you were did what you did. Or were going to do."

Hopper looked at the conviction in Mikes eye's.

"Shit kid. How the hell did you mature so much in a few months?"

"It's been a rough couple of months."

The sound of Els door opening drew both their attention.

El stepped out saw Mike was still there and smiled who returned his own.

The two just staring at each other made Hopper roll his eyes.

El saw it and gave him a glare. She was still a little mad at him for trying to threaten Mike but she knew they had bigger problems.

"Morning kid. Got your Egos waiting." Hopper pointed to the table.

Mike smiled as her eyes went to the plate. He wasn't sure if she like him or them more.

El sat at the table and dug in. Mike got up and sat next to her. Hopper put another plate in front of him. They shared a look and a nod.

El saw the exchange but didn't question it. Mike would tell her later.

Hopper finished his coffee and put the cup in the sink. "I'm going out."

"Where?"

"To find Billy. You said he was the main host right? I need to see if that's still the case."

"Wait Hopper you can't. If Billy is already possessed then he's dangerous." Mike argued.

"No shit kid. I'm just going to do some stake out. Anything seems off I'll leave."

"Hop." El stopped him.

She came forward and hugged him. Hopper squeezed her back.

"Be safe. Be smart not stupid." She told him.

"I will be promise. You two behave. I'm trusting you both okay?"

Mike and El nodded in agreement.

"Hop. If you can't find him look for the other lifeguard Heather. She was one of the first he took and made like him."

Hopper nodded and grabbed his gun before he went out the door.

El locked it behind him.

"So what's the plan for today?" Mike asked.

"Training." El answered.

* * *

"So Hopper let Mike stay at the cabin?" Max asked as they mounted their bikes. "Is he sick?"

"Don't know. Mike said he would explain everything. He was acting weird." Will said.

"Weider than usual?" Lucas chimed in.

"Yeah. Hey did anyone get ahold of Dustin?"

"Tried got nothing."

"He's probably trying to bride some random girl to pretend to be his made up girlfriend." Max rolled her eyes.

"I don't think he was lying..." Will said.

"Of course boys would believe that shit.." Max rolled her eyes again and rode off ahead.

* * *

El placed an empty coke can on the table.

"Here. Smash it."

"So do I just....get angry?" 

"Focus on the can. Picture using your hand to smash, but us your head."

It was difficult to explain. Papa had used bad ways to get her to focus. Anger was the strongest emotion to use, but she had learned it wasn't the only one. The more she did it the easier it became. Now she just did it. 

Mike needed to start small. She wouldn't push him just yet.

"Okay.." 

Mike kept his eyes on the can and squeeze the table with his hands as his head began to hurt.

Suddenly the can collapsed into itself. 

"Shit I did it..." 

El smiled and took a tissue to the drop of blood coming from his nose.

"Good. Now try to make it like it was. Not smashed."

"Alright.."

He concentrated again and slowly the can went back to its original form.

"This hurts." He rubbed his head and wiped the blood from his nose.

"It gets better. Less pain after you get used to it. Now only hurts when I use it a lot." 

"I know....El you drained yourself last time. I don't want you to do that again." She stated to speak. "I know how strong you are El. Hell you're the strongest person in the world. But last time you kept going and going and eventually it caught up. Billy took you and you were powerless. He could have...but you got through to him."

"Billy he's not all bad?"

"He's an asshole, but he didn't deserve what happened to him. Hell he sacrificed himself to save you."

"Won't happen this time."

"I know. This time I'm going to be right beside you." He held her hand.

Els face showed concern.

"Mike you're worried about me. I'm worried about you. You're not strong enough to fight the Flayer."

"El I got these powers for a reason. To save you! I have to be there."

"Mike! You could die!"

Mike wanted to shout how she could to. That she already sacrificed herself for him. But the irony of the situation wasn't lost on him.

"El. Last time I kept saying the same to you. That you could get hurt. Do you know what you told me?"

"What?"

"I need you to trust me." He put his hand on her face. "I'll always trust you. El we have to work together. We have to trust each other. I'll listen to everything you say. You be the Master I'll be the jedi in training. But we fight this together. Deal?"

El just starred into his eyes. She really like how they lite up around her. Like she was the only thing he was looking at.

"Okay. Together." She smiled. "First training. Then monsters."

Mike smiled back and kissed her. "Whatever you say Master El."

El giggled at the title. She separated from him and went to her room quickly.

Make started to follow but didn’t. Alone in Els room with her. Brought a lot of images he didn't need at the moment. Ones that really pushed the trust Hopper gave them.

When she came back she had an arm load of socks.

"What are you.." a balled pair hit him in the face.

"Stop them before they hit you." 

Another floated up and went at him.

Mike squinted and stopped the pair right at his face. He smirked and threw them back at her. 

She stopped them easily and threw them back along with several others.

The war had begun.

* * *

Hopper parked across from Max's house. He still hadn't seen any signs of Billy.

All of things the kid told him still fresh. The mall, Billy, Russians, it was like a movie. 

A horror movie. 

The thought of El without him...the girl's been through so much shit already.

_I'm not going anywhere kid. I promise._

_Should I have left those two alone together? No they'll behave._

_They better...._

He couldn't find Billy's car anywhere. The kid made the pool the next best stop.

_Should I get Joyce involved? Wheeler made it seem like she was really struggling. Am I missing something there?_

_Maybe I've been to buried in my own shit...._

He sat there for about an hour before pulling out and heading to the pool. He'd go by Joyce after he checked there.

* * *

Knocking rose the old man out of his chair.

"Who..."

He opened the door and found a young man smiling at him.

"Hello sir. Sorry to bother you but I kinda got in a little accident with my car. Can I use your phone to call a tow truck?" 

"What? Oh sure young man come on in. You weren't hurt were you?"

"No. I'm fine. Thank you for this."

The old man didn't see the glint in Billy's eyes as he shut the door behind them.

**_Build what you see_....**

* * *

After a truce from their sock war they rested for a while before El took him and pulled him outside for more training.

Mike held El's hand as they walked through the woods. It was quiet, peaceful. Almost enough to make him forget how crazy his life just became.

"Okay." She stopped in front of a large tree. "Put it on the ground."

"What?! El I can't take down that tree. It's huge. I can barely fight off a sock attack." 

"Mike. I left you. Hopper was dead. Everything was changed. Use it." 

El was using the same Kali way had. Use the anger and rage. Dig deep and find the strength.

"I'll try..."

"Don't try. Do." She answered.

She knew he could do it. He just needed the push.

Mike looked at the tree. 

_How the hell am I going to do this? Focus Mike. Like Luke and Yoda._

He raised his hand. 

The leaves shook. 

"Uh..." Mike stopped and let his hand fall.

"Mike dig deep. You can do this." She squeezed his arm.

He looked at her and gave a small smile. "Okay."

Mike remembered all the pain. Losing Hopper, El powerless, him watching, Billy's death yell, the moving truck leaving with her.

He lifted his hand and focused all the pain on the tree. The leaves shook as blood started coming down his nose.

El watched him wondering if she was pushing to hard. 

_He can do this. He's strong._

Mikes head felt like it was splitting in two but he kept pushing.

**El leaving....Hopper dead....**

He screamed as the tree made cracking sounds and the branches moved violently.

**Billy's screams...Max tears...all the dead....El gone....**

The tree cracked and splintered. The scratching of the branches hitting other trees. Then it split falling down. It hit the ground sending the sound echoing through the woods.

Mike fell to his knees exhausted. His head on fire and he had more blood coming down. 

_I....I did it._

"I did it." 

"You did." El was so proud of him.

She kneeled in front of him and hugged him tight.

Mike relaxed into the embrace. He was tired, his head hurt like hell, but he felt incredible. 

He opened his eyes looking over her shoulder and went pale.

"El.."

She pulled back and looked at him. He wasn't smiling. He was looking past her.

She turned around and saw who he was looking at.

Will, Max, and Lucas had shocked looks on their faces. 

"What the fuck?!" Max exclaimed.


	5. The Army

The three starred at the couple. Lucas had his mouth hanging open and Will was even paler than usual in shock.

Max was the only one to form a sentence and that took a lot.

Mike wiped the blood and, with El's help, made it back to his feet.

"Hey guys...."

"Mike...you...how?" Will stammered.

"It's a long story." 

"Mike!! You just put a tree on the ground like El! Who cares how long the story is?!" Lucas shouted.

Mike slipped his footing as his head went light when he started to answer.

Will caught his other side as he tripped.

Mike looked at Will with an expression he not given him before.

Then, to Will's shock, Mike hugged him.

"It's good to see you again man..." Mike said.

Adding to Will confusion.

"Ah....Mike? We saw each other yesterday." 

Mike pulled back and gave him a tired smile.

"What's going on?" Will asked.

"Let's go back to the cabin. I have a lot to tell you guys."

El held Mike as he leaned in her shoulder. The group followed a lot of questions on their minds.

* * *

"Dad you called? Said it was urgent."

The same old man came in from his kitchen a new dark looked in his eyes.

His two daughters looked at him with concern.

"Dad are you okay? You look pale."

"I'm fine. Glad you two came so fast."

Neither of the girls saw Billy at the top of the stairs.

**_Build what you see_...**

* * *

"Okay...You're from the future? Some random girl sent you here and your super-powered now?" Lucas was struggling to comprehend this.

"I know it sounds crazy." Mike said. 

El and him were on the couch with the others gathered around. El was holding on to him as he was still drained from his tree knockdown.

"Sounds like bullshit to me." Max said.

Mike wanted to snap at her but stopped himself. He couldn't let his past anger with her get in the way. Especially for something she hadn't done yet.

El had no such control. She gave Max a glare that the redhead could almost feel. 

"Mike isn't lying." El spoke.

Max saw the glare and was confused. 

_What's she mad at me for?_

"You really believe he traveled through time? I mean that's crazy." Max argued.

"I opened a gate to the Upside Down. That's crazy too." El argued back.

"Shadow monster and evil dogs." Lucas said. "Maybe time travel isn't so unbelievable."

Max saw she was out numbered. "Look there's been some insane things but this seems like to much."

"Max. Billy might be possessed by the Flayer." Mike broke her focus.

Max went white at that. "What?!"

"That's what happened last time. To me. The Flayer is here. Making an army and Billy was the one building it."

Max got up. "I have to go. I have to find him."

"Max no." Mike got up. 

Unfortunately he got dizzy.

"Mike." El got up and hold on to his shoulders.

"I'm okay." He reassured her. "Max listen if he's possessed he is dangerous. He fought the Flayer last time but it took a lot to reach him."

"We have to be sure." Max said.

"Hoppers looking for him." El told her then a thought came to her. "I'll find him."

"El no." Mike said quickly. 

_She needs to understand how bad that got. How that thing screwed with her head._

"Why no?" El looked at him.

"El last time you did that. It really screwed with you. The Flayer can really hurt you. Not physically but it can."

"I think she can judge how her powers work better than you can Mike." Max argued.

"Not this shit again." He sighed. "I know what's going to happen Max. I know how this ends. So just for once shut up and listen." 

Somethings in the cabin moved as Mike let out some frustration.

Max was stunned and about to shout back but saw a lot of blood starting to come down Mikes nose.

"Mike. Calm down." El said as she tried to get him to control his emotions.

Then Mike felt it. His head started hurting more and more.

"Shit....not again." He looked at El with fear.

Mike fell back as the dark took him again. 

* * *

"Hello again Mike."

Mike opened his eyes and found himself back in the black. The void reached everywhere and the girl was standing over him.

He raced to his feet and backed away from her. 

"I'm sorry about last time. There was no other way."

"You attacked me!" 

"No I freed you. I opened your mind. I wish there was a different way but there wasn't."

"It felt like you were ripping my head apart!" 

The girl looked down a sadness on her face. 

"I tried to be gentle..."

"Gentle?! Well you fucked up! Who the hell are you?!"

"I'll explain." She crossed her legs and sat on the wet ground. "I'm from the future. Like you just further. "

"What? You're going to have to explain that better."

She sighed. "Mike do you think that closing the gate just stopped the Flayer? No it never quits. For years after the mall it kept fighting and ripping to get back in. Thanks to those Russians it did."

"They made another machine?"

"No. They used the one that started it all." 

Mike looked at her in confusion until it dawned on him. "El....."

"Yes."

"She would never do that."

"She didn't have a choice. Not to her. They had the two most important people in her life. You and Hopper."

"Hopper was dead."

"No. He didn’t die in the mall. He was thrown into the gate and fell out on the other side. Right into a Russian facility. The gate closed right after and he became a prisoner."

"That.... Hopper was alive." Mike couldn't believe it.

"He was a prisoner for over a year before he 'escaped.' Truth was they let go to lead them to El. Hopper thought that was the case so he stayed away until she found him. When her powers returned she location him by pure luck." 

"And she went to him?"

"Yes. I heard they tried to capture her, but it didn't end well for them. Until they got you. Once she saw that they had you...she complied. She went to their new spot and they forced her to open a gate."

"Why? What do they want from there?"

"Mike you know how hard it is to kill a demogorgon. Now imagen if you had an army of them. That can appear anywhere at amy time by opening portals. If they could control them what would they do?"

That thought scared the shit out of him.

"When she opened it though. The Flayer was waiting. It poured threw. Those it didn't kill it possessed. El, Hopper, and you barely got out."

"And, what it just started sending more things through?"

"Yes. It planned it out. The demogorgons opened portals all over. El wasn't able to close the gate again. No one could get close. Even her."

"She shouldn't have opened it." He spoke out loud.

"Mike you are her world. They said you would die if she didn't. She couldn't live without you. She destroyed everything for you."

Mike felt sick to his stomach. How many dead just so he would live? The whole world suffered. 

"I know that's not easy to hear..."

"You think?! I would rather die than let that thing win!"

"You did.....In the time I'm from.. the war was going on. We were losing...Last I heard both you and El didn't make it...."

Mike fell to his knees. He was dead...El dead. He couldn't think of a more terrifying thing.

"I was born after the invasion. My parents protected me the best they could but it wasn't easy. When it was discovered what I could do. I used my gift to save as many as I could but the damage was to severe. Our world was the Flayers."

"How did you get your powers? Were your parents like you?"

"Technically from my grandmother. She was the first." 

_Wow. How many people have powers in the world? Of course you're one of them now._

"My power is difficult to explain. The mind can do incredible things. Mine can unlock that potential in others. Like I did with you. I ended up making armies of individuals who could do things. It wasn’t enough..."

"But how do you do this...across time?"

"Didn't discover that until later. I can reach into another mind from any place. Like El when she finds someone. I can do the same but much more wide reaching. If I'm in the right place."

"Right place?"

"Mike the Upside-down isn't like our world. Time works differently there the deeper you go."

"Wait. Are you saying you're there? Right this moment?!"

"Yes."

"You can't stay there. It's not safe."

"Really?" She said with a hint of sarcasm. "Mike I can't keep this connection going from anywhere else." Some blood was coming from her nose now. "Crap..I don't have much longer. Listen closely. Stop Billy, destroy the machine, save Hopper, but of all else do NOT let El get bit. Understand?"

"What? Why's that so important?"

Of course he'll stop that but it seemed small in comparison.

Suddenly the whole atmosphere changed. It became cold and a sense of dread filled him.

"No....Mike the Flayer knows something has changed. Work fast and protect El. I hope we talk again."

She jumped up and put her hand on his head just as he saw a mountain of smoke moving in the background.

* * *

Mike shot up gasping.

The rest of the party looked on in surprise and concern.

"Mike! Are you okay?" El asked as she held his shoulders.

Mike pushed her out of the way and ran outside. Where he puked over the porch rail.

"Oh nasty." Lucas looked away.

Mikes head was ringing and hurt worse than ever. Blood was pouring down his nose mixing with the puke.

"Mike." El put her hand on his back.

"Uhhhh. Shit." Mike groaned as he finally got control over his stomach.

El helped him sit against the cabin wall. Will came over with a damp towel. She took it and whipped down his face.

"Okay Mike what the hell was that?" Max asked.

"Her." 

"The time traveling girl?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah...she told me things."

Mike told them all he heard.

"Then there was this noise and a feeling. Like evil....pure evil. She touched my head and I woke up."

"Mike...was it cold?" Will asked.

"Yeah. Really cold. It was the Flayer wasn't it?"

Will nodded.

"It knows somethings happen. We don't have a lot of time." He tried to get up but his head started spinning.

"Mike sit." El ordered. 

He didn't argue. When she moved next to him and wrapped her arms around him he instinctively put his head on her shoulder. 

He passed out from exhaustion against her.

"This is some deep shit." Lucas said.

The others just sat around thinking. They knew they needed a plan, but the one who had the best insight was passes out.

El just held him tight. She didn't know who this girl was but she did know that this was hurting Mike and no one hurt Mike.

Will watched feeling the familiar fear from his past. The Flayer was back. His bestfriend was a time traveler and had powers. Suddenly D&D didn't seem so important.

Max had no idea what to do. Billy was possibly a possessed monster and Wheeler was out of it. 

Lucas just as lost as everyone else.

* * *

Joyce wasn't sure why she was sweeping. The place was already clean. Zero customers kept it from gathering dirt.

She heard the door and saw Hopper standing there. She couldn't place the look on his face.

"Hey."

"Hey." 

Hopper had looked all over the town it seemed and still no Billy. He waited at the pool and never saw him. The girl was there but not acting strangely. She was basking in the sun so she wasn’t infected yet. 

He needed more eyes. And more hands to deal with what was happening. So he went to the one person he knew he could count on.

"How'd the talk go?" She asked.

"Joyce we got bigger issues right now."

Hoppers face was even more serious than usual.

"What happened?"

"I need your help and I have a lot to tell you."


End file.
